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Meghan W. Sinning

The motivation for teachers to embrace the path to obtaining a doctoral degree comes from a different intrinsic place for every individual. Kowalczuk-Waledziak, Lopes, Menezes, and Tormenta (2017) report teachers’ motivation for completing a doctoral degree came from the positive impacts on oneself professionally, students learning opportunities, and the impacts on working environment. Spaulding and Rockinson-Szapkiw (2012) reflect one reason for doctoral motivation is the essence of earning the doctoral title. Becoming a Doctor is a highlight for individuals and a great sense of triumph. With 40% to 60% of doctoral candidates completing the doctoral degree, the motivation to stay on the positive side of that percentage is great (Spaulding and Rockinson- Szapkiw, 2012).

A multitude of reasons motivate educational professionals to complete a doctoral degree. Many reflect on the positive personal and professional benefits that coincide with degree completion. Career trajectories and increased reflective practice are positive professional benefits (Kowalczuk-Waledziak et al., 2017). Doctoral candidates describe the positive career changes to include improved promotion opportunities within home organizations and outside career prospects with new organizations. Doctoral candidates who remained within their original organizations were offered new leadership openings. Some were offered publication opportunities or the chance to peer review the work of others in the educational field. Many reported academic endeavors to

participate in program development and to teach various courses (Kowalczuk-Waledziak et al., 2017).

Additional motivation for educators to pursue a terminal degree comes from honing reflective practice skills. As one ventures through the doctoral process, Kowalczuk-Waledziak et al. (2017) link motivation to increased confidence levels in the reflective practice process. Russo and Schoemaker (2002) and Kowalczuk- Waledziak et al. (2017) emphasize that while one might be motivated to make instinctual decisions, having practice, knowledge and experience to support decision-making influences student motivation to complete a doctoral degree.

Online terminal degree opportunities are increasing, and the drive to create engaging learning environments is essential for universities to stay competitive (Yukselturk & Bulut, 2007). A motivating factor for educators to pursue a doctoral degree is connected to increasing awareness in student learning opportunities and outcomes through development of engaging curriculum. Gaining the skills necessary to teach at the university level through online doctoral coursework creates a professional understanding of the elements required. Yukselturk and Bulut (2007) posit the factors necessary for students to succeed in online courses, include engaging curriculum and explicit instructor feedback. In completing a doctoral program, instructors gain the necessary skills to build an engaging online learning classroom for their students and gain great insight on providing academic feedback, thus resulting in greater student outcomes.

Another personal motivation for doctoral completion supported by research is creating the engaging online learning opportunities for students at the graduate level completing course work for initial teacher licensure (Robinson & Hullinger, 2008). Understanding both student and instructor perspectives is essential to creating engaging online coursework. It is a privilege to experience both sides of the screen, allowing deeper understanding of how all working parts of coursework and educational standards combine. Creating engaging learning in an online platform is the professional goal.

Recognizing the multitude of factors affecting attrition inspires reflecting on the various motivations to complete a doctoral program to meet personal, professional, and educational goals. Haskins and Goldberg (2005) report a higher completion rate in students who were motivated on personal and professional levels. Spaulding and Rockinson-Szapkiw (2012) report an approximate 50% completion rate for doctoral programs. The motivation for some comes from the goal of being on the positive side of the attrition rate. The mental impact of not finishing an endeavor is devastating. While most reasons for attrition rates are well-studied, others remain undocumented in the research.

Research on doctoral motivation parallels personal motivations. Career implications derived from completing a doctoral program allow for greater future opportunities. Completion of a doctoral program enables applicants to apply for a probationary position at the university level. Once in a probationary position, opportunities to further engage in the world of academia becomes more accessible. Personal scholarly endeavors include adding to the research on teacher retention through alternative licensure routes, maintaining a robust program, continuing accreditation through higher learning commissions, and most importantly, educating pre-service teachers (Higher Learning Commission, March 2016; Redding & Smith, 2016).

While there are many reasons for individuals to enroll in a doctoral program, the motivation to complete a terminal degree is individual. Identifying and acknowledging abilities increase potential for degree completion. When motivation blends personal and professional reasons, the completion rates are even greater (Spaulding & Rockinson-Szapkiw 2012). Earning a doctoral degree is a prodigious accomplishment that facilitates continued remarkable achievements.

Doctoral Program Persistence: Elements for Success

Doctoral program persistence is necessary for individual success and program completion. Santicola (2013) found almost half of all students accepted into doctoral programs persist enough to earn a doctoral degree. Berkeley (2017) breaks persistence

into five elements: personal motivation, self-efficacy, sense of belonging, value in curriculum, and engagement. Holmes et al. (2016) report on the importance of motivation and the connection to persistence. Students with proper motivation persevere to doctoral degree completion.

Santicola (2013) derived three reasons for personal motivation: basic needs, money, or knowledge. Once doctoral students meet their basic needs, motivation to acquire knowledge increases. Doctoral students who work full-time and serve multiple roles prioritize and practice time management, which influences persistence (Santicola, 2013). Students eager to learn welcome challenge and seek knowledge to motivate persistence toward success (Santicola, 2013).

Bandura (1977) refers to self-efficacy as an individual’s understanding of oneself and the capacity to implement behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. Holmes et al. (2016) validate the amount of self-efficacy required for doctoral persistence comes from within. Completion includes contriving a plan, maintaining the plan, and finishing as part of the commitment to the process (Holmes et al., 2016). With steps of the process systematically placed and the capacity to perform secured, perseverance within and completion of the doctoral program will happen.

Participants in a doctoral cohort report factors for persistence come from being a part of a group with collaboration and community (Holmes et al., 2016). The connection made with cohort members and faculty provides success for participants (Holmes et al., 2016). Students who feel strong academic and peer connections incline toward success. Leaning on cohort members laterally and vertically is critical to persistence. With a peer group intact, participants express mutual levels of engagement, feel at ease, and create cohesion as a team (Holmes et al., 2016).

Santicola (2013) addresses student’s needs to understand the value of educational course work and curriculum and how they directly connect to personal career goals and aspirations. When instructors provide direct curriculum connections, students’ perseverance is evident. The doctoral faculty’s ability to build

connections impacts persistence of doctoral students. Faculties that implement reflective practice connect a students’ prior experiences to the content taught. Adult learners do not need compulsory learning at this juncture in the educational process. Adult learners need meaning (Merriam, 2001). Different learning modalities establish meaning, including visual, auditory, and kinesthetic styles (Santicola, 2013). Effective doctoral faculty will incorporate the essential components in the program, allowing students to realize the purpose of persistence.

Holmes et al. (2016) and Santicola (2013) synthesize effectiveness of student engagement regarding doctoral persistence. Santicola (2013) recognizes the need for engagement by utilizing joint inquiry between students and faculty. Joint inquiry occurs by sharing beliefs, experiences, and philosophies that encourage conversation in a safe setting.

When others hear multiple perspectives, the ability to personally synthesize information becomes more effective (Santicola, 2013). Holmes et al. (2016) identified the scope of engagement connected to perseverance to include vertical cohort members increasing the level of engagement. With knowledge and experience sharing between cohorts, novice doctoral students learn from peers’ experiences (Santicola, 2013). A feeling of engagement creates belonging. When students belong, levels of persistence and completion rates increase.

Engagement, sense of belonging, personal motivation, and connection to the curriculum negatively impact perseverance when students do not experience regular face-to-face instruction. Students in a face-to-face setting complete programs at a 10% to 20 % higher rate (Spaulding & Rockinson-Szapkiw, 2012). Online programs create access to graduate level programming and provide more opportunities for students to enroll who otherwise would not because of geographical barriers. Isolation and detachment are factors that deserve consideration in distance learning because they safeguard doctoral student perseverance. Implementation of all perseverance factors as identified in the research counteracts the difference between face-to-face programs and online programs when implemented with validity (Schmidt & Shaw, 2008).

Students will persevere in distance learning programs when support, connection, and commitment intertwine with meaningful curriculum.

Overall, people apply for doctoral programs to seek more educational knowledge for professional development in career paths. To maintain persistence in a doctoral program, students must navigate many moving parts. When students ignore any of the moving parts, the ability to succeed dwindles, resulting in disengagement and separation. Rather than add to the statistics of distance learning program attrition rates, as identified by Spaulding and Rockinson-Szapkiw (2012), doctoral cohort members should come together on every platform possible to support one another in earning their well-deserved doctoral degrees.

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